Vacuum cleaners of numerous configurations are known. Some are used primarily in industrial applications, while others are designed primarily for residential use. Numerous attachments have been developed for each specific design ranging from nozzles to clean unaccessable ledges, to rug shampooing attachments for more exotic vacuum cleaners. Acquiring a multiplicity of attachments can be very costly and there is a great economy available if the number of attachments can be minimized. Further, changing the attachments for the more exotic models can be quite tedious particularly, when removing a rug beating vacuum head and substituting a rug shampooing attachment.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,266,000 by Tribolet describes a hot water extraction system providing both vacuum and hot water application from a faucet used in the application and extraction of liquids when cleaning a rug. The system described includes components for the conversion of the vacuum (as illustrated in FIG. 2) to the extraction system as illustrated in FIG. 3. The entire system must be dismantled or assembled depending on the mode of operation being used.
U.S. Pat. Re No. 27,492 by Howerin et al illustrates in FIG. 2 a cleaning head used with the machine of the aforementioned patent. Nozzles are provided to spray the carpet at 40 and a vacuum part is provided with a reduced cross section opening as required when picking up wet materials. Such a machine would not be practical to use when only vacuuming a carpet is required.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,496,592 by Jones describes an apparatus for cleaning and partially drying carpets having a head as illustrated in FIG. 5 which has a nozzle for application of the liquid and a suction nozzle for extraction of the spent liquid. Again, such a head would not be practically used for vacuuming carpets as well.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,433,451 by Parisi describes a cleaning head as best illustrated in FIGS. 4, 5 and 6, having suction means, brush means, and a steam generator used in cleaning carpets. U.S. Pat. No. 4,019,218 by Cyphert describes a carpet soil extractor as best illustrated in FIG. 1, and FIG. 4 providing a suction nozzle at 55 of reduced cross section as typically found in such extractor units. U.S. Pat. No. 4,096,601 by Knestele further describes a cleaning apparatus having a rotating brush, for cleaning carpets and other upholstery.
Nowhere within the prior art is found a cleaning attachment which is simple in construction which may be used to both dry vacuum a carpet and shampoo or wet clean a carpet. Attachments found in the prior art are designed specifically for one application or the other. For example, a user will typically vacuum his/her carpet with a conventional rug beating vacuum head, then when having completed the dry vacuum cycle, a rug shampooer or exhaustor will be rented and used to wet clean or shampoo the carpet or upholstery being cleaned. In some instances, a purchased vacuum system may include separate rug beating attachments and shampooing attachments, the latter of which may be used to clean a carpet following a thorough vacuuming. Exchanging these attachments can be quite laborious and inconvenient especially when one is attempting to complete a cleaning project quickly and efficiently.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a cleaning attachment for a powered cleaning unit which can be used to dry vacuum and wet clean or shampoo a surface without having to change attachments.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide efficient dry or wet cleaning of the surface and thus provide one attachment for both applications.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an economical alternative to rug shampooers.
Further and other objects of the invention will become apparent to the man skilled in the art, when considering the following summary of the invention and the more detailed description of the preferred embodiments illustrated herein.